California African (Blackeye) Pea

Vigna unguiculata Seeds per pack ~ 100 Origins and HistoryThe California Blackeye Pea, also known as California Blackeye No. 5, is a cultivated heirloom variety of Vigna unguiculata, a species with deep African origins. Black-eyed peas were carried to the Americas through the transatlantic trade and became a staple crop in Southern U.S. foodways. The California strain was developed in the early to mid-20th century by plant breeders in California’s Central Valley seeking a high-yielding, heat-tolerant, and uniform pea for commercial dry bean production. It retains the rich legacy of African-diasporic cuisine while offering improved field performance, becoming the standard for black-eyed pea production across much of the American West and South. Appearance and CharacteristicsThe California Blackeye Pea plant is a vigorous, semi-bushy annual reaching 18–24 inches tall, with trifoliate leaves and slender green pods that mature to a straw color. Each pod contains 6–10 plump, cream-colored s